PORT ANGELES — U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer capped his visit to the North Olympic Peninsula this week by defending the Navy’s impending electronic warfare range project over Olympic National Forest during a town hall meeting.

On July 31, 2017, the Forest Service signed a special use permit allowing the Navy to begin electronic warfare training with mobile-emitter trucks in Olympic National Forest.
Here are two of the many dismayed reactions to this announcement:
“National Parks Conservation Association is disappointed that the Forest Service has chosen to listen to Navy jets rather than the public, and is subjecting Olympic National Park visitors and wildlife to increased overhead aircraft noise. Noisy fighter jets, aptly known as ‘Growlers’, flying over Olympic National Park will degrade one of our countries quietest places – Olympic National Park – as well as surrounding communities and public lands.
“The Navy has alternative locations for these training missions which do not involve flying over Olympic National Park. While the Navy has other options, there is only one Olympic National Park, one of the most natural sounding places left in the contiguous United States, and the most visited national park in the Northwest. The Olympics should sound like a national park, not a Navy airbase.
“We will carefully review the Forest Service decision and continues to urge the Navy to use other locations to meet its training needs.”
--Rob Smith, Northwest Regional Direction
"Despite enormous public outcry against this and an absolute onslaught of letter writing, phone calls, meetings, hearings, etc., etc., the USDA has decided to turn over one of our greatest National treasures to the Navy and allow for the testing of electromagnetic weaponry on the innocent animals, birds, wildlife and other natural habitat in the bio gem that is the Olympic National Forest in Washington State.
"This will be a 5 year testing period the likes of which no area in the US has ever experienced. It is an excruciating death sentence for the creatures of the forest let alone what might "accidentally" happen to any human inhabitants living near this area.
"This type of weaponry is able to melt eyeballs, disintegrate human flesh and of course other living beings, not to mention cause cancer, genetic damage, and harm the general well being of animals that use the magnetic fields of the earth to navigate for their food and getting around.
"If anyone is able to file an injunction or sue to stop this now would be the time.
--The Peoples Initiative Foundation

PORT ANGELES — The U.S. Forest Service signed a special-use permit Monday allowing the Navy to begin the much-debated electronic-warfare training with mobile-emitter trucks in Olympic National Forest, the agency announced.

If I hear someone say “It’s the sound of freedom” to me once more when I voice concerns about the Navy Growler jets turning our Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest into an electromagnetic maneuver warfare training range area, I will scream louder than a Growler itself.

Not a subscriber? Here's the letter:If I hear someone say “It’s the sound of freedom” to me once more when I voice concerns about the Navy Growler jets turning our Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest into an electromagnetic maneuver warfare training range area, I will scream louder than a Growler itself.
Wanting to save the sanctity and wildlife of this protected area, and the millions of tourist dollars resulting from the 3.5 million annual visitors is not unpatriotic.
I think it’s the opposite.
It is unpatriotic not to want to protect our natural resources such as Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest.
We don’t have to sacrifice the Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest in order to have a well-trained military.
I believe the Navy has other places to do these 5,000-15,000 annual training events, such as their previous location of Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
I don’t think we fully know the effects that the electromagnetic radiation from the mobile transponders placed in the forest has on humans and wildlife.
But there have been studies on the adverse effects of 100 decibel-plus noise on humans and wildlife and their habitats.
I believe the real sound of freedom is concerned citizens voicing their objection to something that is destroying one of their country’s most beloved national resources, the very type of thing that makes our beautiful country worth protecting by a strong military.
So please, think twice before casually stating the Growlers are the sound of freedom and thinking those of us who want to protect our country in a different way are unpatriotic.
Kimberly Gonzales,

If I hear someone say “It’s the sound of freedom” to me once more when I voice concerns about the Navy Growler jets turning our Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest into an electromagnetic maneuver warfare training range area, I will scream louder than a Growler itself.

There was great concern over the fire danger associated with any crashes especially over the western Olympic Peninsula, the area targeted for Growler training. This article is about the Hornet, however, so please post if you find anything directly linked to oxygen failure in them. ... See MoreSee Less

Growler noise disturbing you and your household? Call the Navy hotline number to issue your noise complaint (360) 257-6665, ALSO CALL YOUR LOCAL CITY MANAGER’S or MAYOR’S OFFICE! This way local governments will know just how many are unhappy with the disturbance of the peace. ... See MoreSee Less

Peaceful, natural sounds— bird songs, rushing rivers and rustling grass — are sometimes being drowned out by noise from people in many of America's protected parks and wilderness areas, a new study finds.

The Navy is planning to expand Special Operations training in Western Washington into public State Parks.
They are having an Open House at Oak Harbor District office (behind Tractor Supply Store) on Thursday, May 4th. No presentation is planned.
On Whidbey, in addition to their own facilities, they propose using Fort Ebey, Fort Casey, Deception Pass, Joseph Whidbey and South Whidbey State Parks. On Camano they propose using Cama Beach and Camano Island Park. Public lands.
"The proposed training would consist of diving and swimming; inserting and extracting trainees and/or equipment using small watercraft; launching and recovering small watercraft; using unmanned underwater vehicles; moving on foot over the beach; hiking to an observation point and using observation techniques while remaining hidden; clearing areas/structures using paint pellets as simulated munitions (used only in limited locations); conducting high-angle climbing; and using small unmanned aircraft systems on military installations, designated warning areas, or restricted airspace."
For more information, please visit the website at navfac.navy.mil/NSOEA.
Photo is from Navy.mil : www.navy.com/careers/special-operations
Fact sheet is here: navfac.navy.mil/content/dam/navfac/NAVFAC%20Atlantic/NAVFAC%20Northwest/PDFs/About%20Us/Environme...

SILVERDALE, Wash. - The U.S. Navy is holding open house outreach meetings for conducting naval special operations training in western Washington State. The open house outreach meetings provide a forum for the public to obtain information about the proposed naval special operations training and to provide input and suggestions on the training activities and locations. There will not be a presentation or formal oral comment session. Navy representatives will be available to discuss the proposed training activities and locations.Three open house outreach meetings will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at the following locations:

Proposed TrainingThe Navy proposes to conduct small-unit land and maritime training activities for naval special operations personnel. Activities are often combined together and performed sequentially to meet training requirements. The intent of the proposed training is to: 1) teach trainees the skills needed to avoid detection and 2) not leave any trace of their presence during or after training activities.

Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command executes its congressionally mandated roles and responsibilities under 10 United States Code Section 167. The proposed training would consist of diving and swimming; inserting and extracting trainees and/or equipment using small watercraft; launching and recovering small watercraft; using unmanned underwater vehicles; moving on foot over the beach; hiking to an observation point and using observation techniques while remaining hidden; clearing areas/structures using paint pellets as simulated munitions (used only in limited locations); conducting high-angle climbing; and using small unmanned aircraft systems on military installations, designated warning areas, or restricted airspace.

The proposed training does not include the use of live-fire ammunition, explosive demolitions, manned air operations, off-road driving, vegetation cutting, digging, tree climbing, or the building of camp fires or infrastructure. The Navy would not build training devices or structures at any site during the proposed training activities. The proposed training is needed to meet training and readiness requirements and to ensure that naval special operations personnel are prepared for worldwide deployment.

The proposed training would occur on selected nearshore lands and in the inland waters of Puget Sound, including Hood Canal, as well as the southwestern Washington coast. Proposed training would occur on private, public, state, and/or Department of Defense lands. However, training would only occur on properties with the permission of property owners or managers. Within each area, sites have been identified to support the unique training-environment requirements of naval special operations. Additionally, the proximity to several existing Navy installations in the area maximizes logistics, safety, and security.

The Navy has conducted training in the Pacific Northwest for more than 70 years, including naval special operations training for the past 30 years. Puget Sound, including Hood Canal, and the southwestern Washington coast offer unique conditions which create opportunities for realistic and challenging special operations training in a safe, sheltered, cold-water environment. The combination of military presence in proximity to sites with diverse shoreline terrain, hydrography, and bathymetry is vital to the progressive improvement of skill sets and readiness requirements.

Public FeedbackInput and suggestions are welcome until May 18, 2017. The Navy welcomes public input and suggestions on proposed training activities and locations. There will also be an opportunity for public comment during the draft Environmental Assessment. Written feedback may be submitted in person at the outreach meetings, by email to nwnepa@navy.mil, or via postal mail to:

03/25/2017: "EPA Faults Navy’s Study Related To Growlers"Coupeville, WA --- “The USEPA has identified disturbing inadequacies in their review of the Navy’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for an expanded EA-18G Growler training mission at NASWI“, stated Maryon Attwood, President of Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve (COER). The EPA in a March 8th comment letter to the Navy gave the DEIS an EC-2 rating, or Environmental Concerns with insufficient information.” ... See MoreSee Less

State Board of Health & State Department of Health asks Navy for Health Impact Assessment on Jet Noise

As a result of Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve’s (COER’s) complaint actions, noise as a public health issue, has moved up on state priorities for protecting and preventing auditory and non-auditory health impacts on children in schools throughout Washington.

After a unanimous vote by the State Board of Health in late 2016, the Board moved to conduct an investigation of a complaint from Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve’s (COER’s) under RCW 70.05.120 to determine the vague directives of that provision.

The investigation against Dr. Brad Thomas, Island County Health Officer, and Keith Higman, Director and Administrator of Island County Public Health under this provision was to determine the authority of the Health Officers to act on their own discretion on noise as a health emergency. This was not an exoneration of people, as stated by the Whidbey News Times but a dismissal of a complaint. State Board of Health members felt that public health guidelines were clearer in regards to communicable diseases and dismissed the complaint against Environmental Health officers Thomas and Higman.

"As citizens, our options to highlight military aircraft noise as a public health issue have been extremely limited and challenged by local health officials and Board of Health members who, in our opinion have had enough information to take preventative or educational actions. Instead, they have done nothing and turned a deaf ear to the scores of citizens who spoke at public meetings. A state process offered by the State Board of Health provided a valuable venue to challenge the lines of public health responsibility,” commented COER Board member, Paula Spina.

The State Board’s positive action to ask for a Health Impact Assessment from the Navy is recognition that there is a problem. Asking for an assessment to understand the health implications of military jet noise exposure related to Navy Air Station Whidbey Island operations validates citizen complaints.

The Board’s action repeats a similar request by the Washington State Department of Health for a Health Impact Assessment requested in comments to the Navy’s DEIS Growler expansion at NASWI. There is a new awareness on the part of State Board of Health members revealed during discussions that showed understanding that military jet training noise has negative impact on adults and children.

There is new general agreement of state health personnel to know more and determine responsibility for prevention, education, and mitigation of auditory and non-auditory noise impacts. The Washington State Department of Health has also completed a research review and has concluded that noise is a public health issue.

The Washington State Department of Health also agreed as a result of the March 8th meeting that they will step forward with assistance to the county to help conduct a Health Impact Assessment should the Navy refuse, as funds are available.

A final motion by the Board to make recommendations to the Island County Board of Health to better understand the health implications of military jet noise exposure related to Navy Air Station Whidbey Island operations will be taken up at a future meeting. This included a recommendation to Island County to ask the Navy for a Health Impact Assessment on jet noise.

In spite of this new progress at the state level, citizens of Island County - where noise is a major issue - are left with an Island County Board of Health Resolution that restricts public comments about noise and health at public meetings. Citizens who bring up this issue currently are being asked to stop speaking or be removed from meetings.

COER activists have led the way in challenging harmful status quo impacts of military aircraft noise, locally, and at the state levels of government. “The out of step Resolution engineered by Jill Johnson at the Island County Board of Health must now be repealed as a result of the State's acknowledgment that noise is a public health issue”, stated Maryon Attwood, COER President.

"As citizens, our options to highlight military aircraft noise as a public health issue have been extremely limited and challenged by local health officials and Board of Health members who, in our opinion had enough information to take some small preventative or educational actions. Instead, they decided to do nothing and turned a deaf ear to the scores of citizens who spoke at public meetings. This state process offered by the State Board of health provided a valuable venue to challenge the lines of responsibility” added Paula Spina.

“If the military is to remain a welcome neighbor in our communities, they cannot continue to be exempted from public health regulations and they cannot be allowed to continue to harm American citizens, especially the most vulnerable. The Navy owns millions of acres of remote and restricted land where they have already conducted, and can continue to conduct, this flight training without harming civilians. They have alternatives; our citizens, towns and cities do not. Education, current science, and prevention are real tools available to us all”, concluded Attwood, COER President.

For more information about COER, go to: citizensofebeysreserve.com ... See MoreSee Less

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued two separate Draft Environmental Impact Statements (DEISs). One, for the establishment of a Sustainable Harvest Calculation and another for a Long Term Conservation Strategy for the Marbled Murrelet. The deadline for comments is 5PM on March 9th.

The timber interests are out in force to pressure the DNR to adopt alternatives that will involve harvesting the most timber and providing the least protection for the Marbled Murrelets. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AGAIN.

There are two easy ways to comment:

Sustainable Harvest Calculation - You can sign a form letter provided by the Washington Environmental Council at: WEC Sustainable Harvest Level comment to DNR

Marbled Murrelet Strategy – You can send a message requesting stronger protection for the Marbled Murrelets at: ABC Stand Up For MM

IMPORTANT NOTES – Edit and personalize these messages and be sure and include the following statement in your Marbled Murrelet comments: I support and request a supplemental EIS that analyzes a new Conservation Alternative that fully protects and restores marbled murrelet habitat.

If you want to make detailed comments you can research background and potential talking points regarding the Marbled Murrelet DEIS and the Sustainable Harvest Calculation DEIS at:

The Navy may prevail in the short-term, but once the increased flights begin, the public and elected officials will feel the real impact of this decision and will move to curb these noisy practice flights.

March 3, 2017 – At least 664 sites nationwide to be examined by Department of Defense, including sites at Puget Sound. EPA study finds 6 million Americans in 33 states dealing with contaminated drinking water from perfluorinated chemicals. This is … Continue reading →

ACTION ALERT forwarded from the North Olympic Group Executive Committee:

The Navy has released its draft Environmental Impact Statement on the addition of 35 or 36 Growler jets to its fleet at Whidbey Island. Large increases in jet noise are to be expected. Comment period is open until February 24th.The North Olympic Group is submitting a comment letter (see below). We are now asking all our members to submit individual comments in your own name. The more comments received the better chance we have of being heard.

February 20, 2017 – Island County residents to Navy: Pay your taxes! Two Island County Commissioners to Coupeville residents: Go pound sand. Let’s start right off by saying this story is a bit bizarre. Imagine owning a lot of land … Continue reading →

Action Item: Scott Pruitt, leader of the EPA. who was assigned by Trump has created plans to abolish the EPA. He created a blueprint to repeal climate change rules, slash the EPA’s staff by two-thirds, close regional offices, and permanently weaken the agency’s regulatory authority. It's time to stand up against Scott Pruitt. Call your representative and senator at (202) 224-3121. Also, we tagged Scott Pruitt above feel free to post your opinion on his Facebook, he disabled the ability to post on his wall so try to utilize the comment section on his post.

In a move that stands to forever harm the natural quiet soundscape of Olympic National Park, the U.S. Forest Service released its final review of proposed roads and infrastructure to be used within Olympic National Forest. Such infrastructure would support electronic warfare training operations by t...

"Without enough wilderness America will change. Democracy, with its myriad personalities and increasing sophistication, must be fibred and vitalized by regular contact with outdoor growths — animals, trees, sun warmth and free skies — or it will dwindle and pale."

The deadline for comments on the Navy's Growler Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been extended to February 24, 2017. If you haven't been able to fully read and digest the 1400-page document, we get that. It sketches out some unpleasant changes ahead. So we've read and researched on your beha...

Coupeville Community Allies invites you to learn more about the Growler Expansion Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) at our Community Impact Forum.
--How could potential increased annual flights from 6,100 to 35,100 impact our economy, tourism, our schools, our reserve?
--What are Accident Potential Zones (APZs) and how will their planned development impact our property values and property rights?
--What are the security risks of having all electronic warfare aircraft based on Whidbey Island?
--And other impacts to our Coupeville/Central Whidbey Community
Learn about what YOU CAN DO to address your concerns
Help us reach our goal of submitting 3,500 comments on the DEIS. You must comment on the Draft EIS if you want to comment on the final EIS.
Event poster is here: goo.gl/gq0iB8
Photo Credit - Joe Kunzler: www.flickr.com/photos/avgeekjoe/20268503104 per Creative Commons attribution.

Think Olympic National Park is your secret wilderness area?
Fun Fact: Olympic was once again the seventh most-visited National Park in America, continuing a streak of top 10 listings since records were officially started in 1979.

"...even if the noise computer model was scientifically sound, the quality of data used as inputs is still questionable. Despite the document’s excessive length, the DEIS failed to provide pertinent details regarding the empirical data used to calculate noise levels." ... See MoreSee Less

Thank you to Congressman Rick Larsen, Senator Patty Murray, and Senator Maria Cantwell for their advocacy. Also thank you to Mr. Dennis McGinn, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
DEIS public comment time has been extended one month, until February 24, 2017. Please be sure to follow up with them and thank them.

Governor Inslee and Congresspeople, The Pacific Northwest has one of the most beautiful and serene landscapes in the United States, yet we are experiencing significant degradation of our resources, lands and waters by government agencies granting the Navy the unlawful right to pollute our waters,...

A Movement Whose Time Has Come
celdf.org/community-rights/
Today, communities across the country are being told that they don’t have the right to make critical decisions for themselves. They’re told they cannot say “no” to fracking or factory farming. They’re told they cannot say “yes” to sustainable food or energy systems.
Through the Community Rights Movement, communities are working to create a structure of law and government of the people, by the people, and for the people. That structure recognizes and protects the inalienable rights of natural and human communities.
Local Community Rights
CELDF has been working with communities seeking to codify Community Rights. Known as Community Bills of Rights, these laws have been adopted by nearly 200 communities. They protect rights by banning harmful corporate activities ranging from coal mining to factory farms to fracking to the dumping of sewage sludge.
While the issues may be different, the DNA of these laws is the same: the recognition of a right of local community self-government and the right to strengthen the floor of rights protected by state and federal government.
Communities are stepping forward to determine a future of their own making. A future that is not determined by an out-of-area corporation, but rather by the people who live there.

(If you or a group is organizing action and would like to share the event, let us know.)_________________________WHO: The Quakers are writing public comments to the Navy about the impact of Growlers. Please join us to make sure our voice is heard. The Navy must take into consideration public comments in their decisions to fly Growlers in this area.

WHAT: Workshop on Public Comments and Letter writing. Examples provided. Submissions made on premise.

WHERE: The Port Townsend Quaker Meeting House at the corner of Sheridan and 19th Street (Port Townsend WA 98368)

On November 29, the Forest Service issued a "Draft Decision Notice" in preparation of approving a special use permit to allow the Navy to install mobile electronic emitters within the Olympic National Forest as part of the Navy's electronic warfare range training activities on the Olympic Peninsula....

January 3, 2016 – UPDATE: Just received this answer from the Forest Service, on whether there is a character limit on text that can be entered in the comment box on their web site: “The answer from our IT folks is “There isn’t a limit to how much text can be entered into the field on the web page. T...

We have TWO DEADLINES to contend with here. Congressman Kilmer only addresses one.
Please flood the phone lines with calls:
Call Judith Morris, Derek Kilmer's representative in Port Angeles, and ask her why he did not ask for a comment deadline for the USFS EA to allow this large increase in the number of growler jets to be flying over our heads and into the Olympic National Forest to conduct war games.
360-797-3623

Terry Tempest Williams, in YES! Magazine, speaks about her most recent work with National Parks. "We’re in this time where everything is being turned inside out, including us. Do we have the stamina to not walk away, to stay in this hard place of transformation? I think we do. And to me, that’s evolution. I can’t imagine being alive at a more thrilling, challenging time where what is called for is acts of imagination, direct action, and stillness." ... See MoreSee Less

January is Murrelet Month!
For the whole month of January, WEC will celebrate and raise awareness for the marbled murrelet, a rare and elusive seabird that was just recently up-listed to endangered in the state of Washington. If something isn't done, the bird could be gone from our state in a few decades.
Jefferson County Democrats salutes member Dave Woodruff's efforts supporting a resolution that calls upon the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to move quickly in implementing a long-term conservation strategy for this little seabird. The resolution can be read in its entirety on the Washington State Democrats website.

Audio ecologist Gordon Hempton is a collector of natural sound. He's recorded the soundscapes of prairies, mountains, and forests around the world. In recent years, he's become a silence activist. He defines silence not as an absence but a presence.

I’m sitting with my back against a rotting, red log, my chin resting on my knees as I hug them in toward my chest. I close my eyes, and listen. There’s the drip, drip, drip of rain hitting the hood of my jacket. There’s the sound of leaves rustling as I fidget, trying to find a more comfortable posi...

I just returned about a meeting about water the Navy contaminated in MY NEIGHBORHOOD. The meeting held at the Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship near Coupeville was filled to overflowing Fortunately for me my community well happens to...